It’s true! It’s not always all about the erlenmeyer flasks and the lab coats! And even when it is, scientists don’t usually have purple fill lights coming from unusual directions as stunning discoveries are made.

Turns out it’s a brand of lip balm. Gack.

I used to listen to Henry Boggan evenings on WBT-AM in Charlotte while I was in high school – often after Hornets games. Even called in once. (I have a tape of the call somewhere, but it’s too embarrassing to listen to now.) Such a warm and friendly voice – he’ll be missed.

[update 8/26/07: link rot]

Decent McCain discussion on the Straight Dope

Looking back at my previous post, I took a moment to sit and wonder if I was too harsh on Senator McCain. After all, this is politics we’re talking about. Sometimes you have to change your spots to get votes. (Scary though that Republicans calculate that to get elected, they have to snuggle up to the lunatic fringe…)

I happened to download (from iTunes) a recent episode of The Daily Show (I think it was from April 6th) where he was interviewed by Jon Stewart. Now McCain has been on the show a lot, he’s a favorite guest there. Jon acted very disappointed in the senator’s recent actions – especially his preparing to give a speech at Falwell’s university. McCain, for his part, looked somewhat unconfortable responding to those questions, as if they weren’t the answers he really wanted to give. Not that what he gave were “answers” per se.

Similarly, it turns out he’s been rather vague with regards to creationism in schools.

Would he really change his spots back after getting elected? Would he become the ‘straight talker’ he once claimed to be? I dunno. Does he want a second term?

Whatever. If he ever had my vote, it’s lost now.

My previous respect for Sen. McCain is pretty much gone after hearing him on Meet The Press the other day. There’s no doubt about it; he’s running for president, and the obligatory pandering to the extreme Christian right has officially begun. Whereas he once referred to Jerry Falwell as an “agent of intolerance”, apparently they’re all buddy-buddy now. Yuck.

He’s still a quick wit, though. His last comment to Tim Russert in the interview: “I haven’t had this much fun since my last interrogation.”

Meanwhile, it becomes increasingly clear to me that Thomas Friedman is a very, very smart person. Well worth a close listen, IMHO.

Flip the bird at any low flying unmanned surveillance drones you see overhead.

Markedly pointed signs wouldn’t be a bad idea either.

Remember the days, way back when. You know, three posts below this one, as I was whining I couldn’t get Broadcast’s Microtronics 2 album? Well, turns out they had a few left after the tour and put them up for sale on their label’s web site. And so it showed up in my box today – the night before I leave town for a week. Nice timing there.

So I’m happy now.

The album’s weird.

You wouldn’t like it.

Unless you’re into that sort of thing.

Which I am.

Yeah, if I were a quadzillionaire, I could stand living in this part of town. Oh well.

Anyway, got to see the brand new Darwin exhibit at the Museum of Natural History. Highly recommended if you’re in town.

* This one’s only five points.

Greetings from New York City. Two-day NASA workshop thingy starts tomorrow at the Rose Center of the AMNH. All about how to download and process satellite imagery with Photoshop and some other tools. Wheee! But now, off to go explore a little.

10 useless drewbert-points to anyone who gets the post title…

Totally bummed that I am not in Carrboro tonight to see Broadcast in concert at the Cat’s Cradle. At that crucial, last-minute moment I had to purchase plane tickets and make hotel reservations, I had a sudden bolt of frugality and rational thought and realised that it was an awful lot to spend on a hour and a half long concert. Even if it is (*whimper*) going to (*sniff*) be kick-ass.

And even if it means also missing out on the tour-only Microtronics 2 mini-album.

Dammit.

At least I found a music video. That makes me happier.

_{(One more link)}

[edit 11/28/05: According to a forum post on the Broadcast web site by bassist James Cargill, the band had absolutely nothing to do with that video. “It just appeared,” he says.]